Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Prisoners Review

I watched Sicario the other day, which is an amazing film by the way. If you haven't seen it, check it out. Unfortunately, I thought Sicario should have gotten some Oscar nominations this year, especially for Bencio Del Toro's magnificent performance and for director Denis Villeneuve. Then I got to thinking that Villenvue's 2013 film Prisoners did not get much Oscar love either. So I decided to watch decided Prisoners again. I have to say that this film was robbed. Prisoners is a gritty, suspenseful, and thought-provoking crime thriller. This masterfully acted film should have been front runner for the 2013 awards season. I also realized that I never reviewed the film, so here it is.

The film starts with Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), a deeply religious blue-collar worker, and his family attending Thanksgiving at the house of neighbor and family friends, Nancy and Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard and Viola Davis). The Franklins and the Dovers each have two children, the youngest of which (Anna and Joy) head out to play outside only to mysteriously disappear.

Upon a frantic search, the Franklins and the Dovers suspect the worse. Especially when their elder children tell them of a mysterious camper that was parked just down the street. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is heading the investigation, soon finds the camper with Alex Jones (Paul Dano) behind the wheel and arrests him. However, a lack of evidence forces Alex’s release. Dover is still convinced that Alex has something to do with the kidnappings and takes matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, Loki follows leads that open up possibilities of a crime where multiple persons may be involved.

The ensemble cast makes this film come alive, but the best performance that stands out in this film is from Jackman. His performance as a tortured father who does unquestionable things to find his daughter is extraordinary. I still don't understand how Jackman did not get any Best Actor nominations throughout the 2013 awards season. The script, from writer Aaron Guzikowsk, drives audiences down many different paths and emotional rides, and Jackman's performance will have you rooting for his quest for answers even though his methods are unorthodox and highly illegal.

This is also the first American film from acclaimed Canadian director Denis Villeneuve. The directing in this movie is gripping and pulls the viewer in from start to finish. Villenvue brings out the best in his actors and captures the haunting atmosphere in the movie. Thanks to this film, he got plenty of Hollywood gigs like Sicario and the upcoming Blade Runner sequel. Plus, the film looks stunning because of the famous Director of Photography Roger Deakins, who is actually nominated this year for Sicario. He probably will not win this year, even though he totally deserves it. Deakins brings a beautifully bleak look to film, which perfectly matches the tone of the film.

The thing that hurts this film is the running time. It could have been trimmed about 30 minutes as the torture scenes go on too long. In addition, Villenvue wraps loose plot lines too quickly, and the climax is too cliché for this story and abandons some of the realism that the film is going for. Nevertheless, these are still minor complaints.

Prisoners has a multitude of elements that makes it engaging for the audience. It is an emotionally complex film and questions difficult moral dilemmas. It also has a sense of dread, which makes for an emotional, disturbing, and absorbing viewing experience. I still think Prisoners was one of the best films of 2013. Sadly for this film, 2013 was a very competitive year at the Oscars. Check this film out if you can.

Prisoners - 4.5/5

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